Metrobus operates buses in the county. Fairfax Connector, Fastran, Cue and Tags also operate bus service in Fairfax

CUE: The City-University-Energysaver (CUE) Bus System is owned and operated by the City of Fairfax in conjunction with George Mason University (GMU) which provides an annual operating subsidy. CUE provides low cost transit service within the City and to and from the Vienna/Fairfax-GMU Metrorail station and GMU Fairfax campus. CUE buses operate seven days a week.

TAGS: Fairfax County and the Springfield Chamber of Commerce have joined forces to create the Transportation Association of Greater Springfield (TAGS). The result of this partnership is a new bus service that circulates throughout Springfield's business district. TAGS bus stops include: Franconia-Springfield Metro Station, Springfield Mall, Springfield Hilton, Springfield Plaza Shopping Center, Brookfield Plaza Shopping Center and Backlick Center. Buses arrive every 15 minutes and the service is free.

The buses follow a five-mile circular route from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. TAGS can be contacted by phone at 703-971-7727 for more information.

FASTRAN: FASTRAN transports, via bus or cab, residents of Fairfax County and the Cities of Fairfax and Falls Church. All FASTRAN riders must be certified by one of a group of sponsoring agencies. For information on these agencies, visit FASTRAN www.fairfaxcounty.gov or call 703-222-9764. FASTRAN primarily transports clients of human service agencies who cannot drive, find a ride, use Metro or Connector buses, or afford taxi fares to reach needed services. Call the appropriate agency to be certified before scheduling a FASTRAN trip.

Fairfax Connector: Fairfax Connector offers bus service to all areas of Fairfax County. Schedules and maps can be found on the web at www.fairfaxconnector.com. Exact cash fare, Metrobus flash passes, Metrobus tokens and Metrobus commuter tickets may be used on all Fairfax Connector routes.

Metrobus flash passes, tickets and tokens are available at Connector Stores or at regular Metro sales outlets. Up to two children, ages four years or younger, ride free with each paying passenger. Additional information and questions can be answered at the Connector Information Center, 703-339-7200 or 703-339-1608.

Metrobus: Metrobus operates many bus routes in Fairfax County in areas such as Centreville, Chantilly, Fair Oaks, Burke, Annandale, Baileys Crossroads, Seven Corners, Tysons Corner, Alexandria, Fort Belvoir, and Springfield. Almost all Metrobus routes connect with Metrorail stations. For more information about Metrobus routes or Metrorail lines, schedules, fares, and parking fees, call the Metro at (202) 637-7000. The TDD number is (202) 638-3780.

A Note On Bus Fares:

Bus fares vary according to the service but most will offer free trips on Code Red days, when air pollution is considered hazardous. The buydowns are an incentive to use public transportation.

Between July 14 of this year and June 2003, Fairfax Connector routes serving the Dulles Toll Road will be free. No fare will be collected on the following routes: 425, 427, 553, 574, 585, 922, 924, 926, 927, 929, 951 and 952.

RideSources: The RideSources Program is operated by the Fairfax County Department of Transportation. The RideSources program provides commuters with free ridesharing information, including assistance to form or join carpools or vanpools. Commuters can call or mail in a RideSources application to be entered into a regional database which will match them with people with similar work schedules and travel patterns. The Department of Transportation recommends that commuters who wish to use the program meet potential carpool members before starting to commute together.

For more information and assistance in setting up transportation programs at employment sites, call the Employer Services Specialist at (703) 324-1100, or visit the Employer Services Program website at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/comm/trans/employer.htm.

The phone number at RideSources for additional information is 703-324-1111.

Commuting by Bicycle: For help with commuting call the Bike Commuter Hotline at 202-628-2500. Leave your name, phone number and the origin and destination of your commute. A bicyclist familiar with your area will return your call.

A map of Fairfax County bicycle trails may be obtained from the Fairfax County Department of Comprehensive Planning at 12055 Government Center Parkway, Suite 730, Fairfax, Virginia 22035.

The trails map and the proposed revised Comprehensive Plan maps are now available online at the non-motorized transportation committee web site at: http://www.co.fairfax.va.us/NMTC/maps.html.

Cyclists can also call 703-324-1210 and ask for the Countywide Trails Plan. Cyclists can also contact the Washington Area Bicyclist Association at (202) 628-2500.

Airports

Washington Dulles International Airport is located in Sterling at 45020 Aviation Drive, 20166. The airport information line can be contacted at 703-572-2700.

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, 703-417-8000, is located at 1 Aviation Circle in Washington DC.

Baltimore-Washington International Airport is located in Baltimore, but does not have a street address. Directions can be found on the web at www.bwiairport.com or by calling 1-800-I-FLY-BWI.

HOV Rules

HOV, or High Occupancy Vehicle lanes are available at peak hours on I-66 and on I-95 and I-395 in Fairfax County. For HOV-2, there must be at least two people in the car. The minimum requirement for HOV-3 is three people.

o I-66 Eastbound before I-495: HOV-2, 5:30-9:30 a.m.

I-66 Eastbound after I-495: All lanes HOV-2, 6:30-9:00 a.m.

o I-66 Westbound before I-495: All lanes HOV-2, 4:00-6:30 p.m.

I-66 Westbound after I-495: HOV-2, 3:00-7:00 p.m.

o I-95 Northbound: HOV-3, 6:00-9:00 a.m.

o I-95 Southbound: HOV-3, 3:30-6:30 p.m.

o I-395 Northbound: HOV-3, 6:00-9:00 a.m.

o I-395 Southbound: HOV-3, 3:30-6:00 p.m.

Smart Tag and Toll Roads

Smart Tag is an electronic toll collection system that lets drivers pay without stopping at the toll booths. As the driver approaches the toll lanes, a device on the inside of the windshield is read electronically and the toll is deducted automatically from the driver's pre-paid Smart Tag account.

Smart Tag can be used in the Northern Virginia area on both the Dulles Toll Road and the Dulles Greenway. It can also be used in other parts of Virginia as well. For more information on how to start a Smart Tag account visit www.smart-tag.com or call 1-877-SMARTAG.

Parking Areas for Bus Service

The following areas provide parking for the purpose of park-and-ride:

American Legion Springfield

6520 Amherst Ave.

Spaces: 75

Cost: Free

Bus Routes: 204

Canterbury Woods Park

5018 Wakefield Chapel Road

Spaces: 34

Cost: Free

Bus Routes: 17A, 17B, 17F, 17G, 17H, 17K, 17L, 306

Centreville Park & Ride

Rt. 29 at Stone Road

Spaces: 370

Cost: Free

Bus Routes: 12C, 12E, 12L

Centreville United Methodist Church

New Braddock Road at 28

Spaces: 147

Cost: Free

Bus Routes: 12E, 12F, 12L

Fairlanes Bowling Center

13814 Lee Highway

Spaces: 35

Cost: Free

Bus Routes: none

Fair Oaks Mall

Rt. 50 near detention pond

Spaces: 170

Cost: Free

Bus Routes: other side of mall 1C, 1Z, 2B, 2G, 20G, 20A

Fairfax County Government Center

12000 Government Center Parkway

Spaces: 170

Cost: Free

Bus Routes: 20A, 20G

Greenbriar Park

Melville Ln., near Stringfellow Road

Spaces: 55

Cost: Free

Bus Routes: none

Herndon-Monroe

12530 Sunrise Valley Drive

Spaces: 1,745

Cost: Free

Connector Store location

Bus Routes: RIBS 2, 551, 901, 904, 922, 924, 926, 927, 929,

941, 942, 951, 952, 980, 984

K-Mart at Springfield Plaza

Bland St. & Old Keene Mill Road

Spaces: 75

Cost: Free

Bus Routes: 204, 110, 111, 18ABEFGHIJKLPR, Slug Line across Old King Mill

There are more than 15,000 lane miles in Northern Virginia. A total of 774,166 vehicles are registered in Fairfax County. Traffic counts conducted at the Springfield Interchange, where I-95, I-395 and I-495 intersect, numbered 450,000 vehicles per day.